This summer, England will aim to go one better than at Euro 2020 by winning the European Championships for the first time. The continental tournament has arguably caused more heartache for Three Lions’ fans than the World Cup, with boss Gareth Southgate famously seeing a penalty saved by Germany goalkeeper Andreas Kopke in a semi-final shootout at Euro 1996.
Penalties have become a theme, with Southgate’s side succumbing to Italy in a shootout at Wembley in the last final in July 2021. They head to Germany as the 3.85 favourites, with France 4.05, the hosts 6.55 and holders Italy available at 14.50.
England Euros Record
Year
Result
1960
Did not enter
1964
Did not qualify
1968
Third place
1972
Did not qualify
1976
Did not qualify
1980
Group stage
1984
Did not qualify
1988
Group stage
1992
Group stage
1996
Semi-finals
2000
Group stage
2004
Quarter-finals
2008
Did not qualify
2012
Quarter-finals
2016
Round of 16
2020
Runners-up
A slow start
Diplomatic misunderstandings and the limited number of places available for the Euros meant England only featured in one of the first five editions, finishing third of four teams in 1968. That was a disappointing result for the then-world champions, but it would take time for them to return to the competition, only qualifying again in 1980. A squad captained by Kevin Keegan and featuring several stars who had thrived in European club competitions failed to gel, crashing out in the group stages. The Three Lions again failed to qualify in 1984, the last time they would miss out until Euro 2008.
Consistent qualifiers, but not much more
England reached the finals in 1988, 1992 and 2000 but crashed out in the opening stage on each occasion. The tournament that punctuated that run was Euro 1996, when Terry Venables’ side reached the semi-finals as hosts. Another talented squad made a slow start, drawing the opening game against Switzerland 0-0 but the England team, and the Euros as a whole, burst into life with Paul Gascoigne’s incredible solo strike that sealed a 2-0 win over Scotland at Wembley.
Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham combined to outclass the Dutch and seal top spot in Group A before the country experienced rare penalty joy, beating Spain in the quarter-finals. For a brief period, it felt like football was indeed coming home but as has so often been the case, England fell short against Germany in the semi-finals.
Darren Anderton hit the post and Gascoigne was a stud’s length from converting Shearer’s cross as the pair were tied at 1-1 after 120 minutes. Penalties were required – Southgate missed, Andreas Moller scored and Wembley fell silent.
Golden Generations go close
After a miserable Euro 2000 under Keegan, a Golden Generation emerged in time for Euro 2004. A narrow opening defeat to France was followed by a victory over Switzerland before a Wayne Rooney-inspired breakout performance overcame Croatia 4-2. Even the hosts were seen as beatable in the quarter-finals but disaster struck when Rooney was forced off by injury in the first half. Penalties again cost Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side, as they also would against the Selecao at the World Cup in 2006.
That crop of players then failed to qualify for Euro 2008 but the likes of Rooney, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Ashley Cole remained for Euro 2012. However, they were stodgy rather than spectacular, losing to the Italians on penalties in the quarter-finals. Euro 2016 followed but resulted in an on-field disaster as Roy Hodgson’s side floundered to a shock defeat to unfancied Iceland in the last 16 in what would prove to be the coach’s final game.
A new-look side was formed for the World Cup in 2018 and Southgate guided his young tyros to the semi-finals. They maintained that momentum to reach the final of Euro 2020, only for penalties to play the part of the pantomime villain against the Azzurri. Their task for this summer is to take that extra step in Germany by matching the ‘Boys of ’66’ and winning the England men’s team’s second major trophy.
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